Spring training, not one of the most terrific eras in Phillies baseball.

To a man, the Phillies are anxious to begin proving they’re better than the club that finished .500 the hard way last year.

They’re certainly healthier exiting spring training, Roy Halladay’s puzzling lack of velocity notwithstanding. Phillies sluggers Ryan Howard and Chase Utley are ready to roll, which is something that didn’t happen last year until it was too late.

Ace pitcher Cole Hamels is wealthier, having signed a six-year, $144 million guaranteed contract making him the highest-paid athlete in the history of professional sports in Philadelphia. Hamels insists the blockbuster pact won’t mess up his motivation.

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“It’s the same thing I set out when I tried to get to the big leagues,” Hamels said Saturday. “To stay and to be the best at it. I play this game because I like winning and I want to win every single time I go out there. And I believe that I can win every time I go out. Everything else just goes along with it. The awards, contracts, that just goes with the attitude that you have from Day One. And I’m always going to have that attitude.”

In case you missed it, the Phillies definitely have an attitude. They’re edgier than they were entering the previous season, and for good reason.

The Phillies are buried in the preseason prognostications beneath the defending East Division champion Washington Nationals and the runner-up Atlanta Braves. Beyond the predictions, a lot of the guys are literally fighting for their jobs, from Utley and Halladay to manager Charlie Manuel, who all are in the last years of their contracts.

“There’s been a lot of talk of underdog role and this and that,” Howard said. “But we’ve had experience winning. We’ve had experience being an underdog. A lot of that is talk. Not to take anything away from the Nationals. Those guys had a great season last year. They won the division. But that’s why we’ve got to go out there and play the games. It’s not 2012 anymore. It’s 2013.”

Howard says he’s “100 percent ready to go,” a far cry from last year when he stayed behind in Florida to rehab a torn Achilles’ tendon that became infected. He returned looking like he ate too much grouper.

“As far as the injury and everything, I’m not focused on it,” Howard said. “All of that stuff, I would hope that spring training showed that.”

Howard intimated he’s in the best shape he’s been in since 2009. That was the year he batted .279 with 45 homers and 141 RBIs to lead the Phillies to 93 victories and a berth in the World Series against, OK, the hated New York Yankees. The Phillies fell in six games.

Howard batted .322 with seven homers and 16 RBIs in 87 at bats this preseason. Outfielder Dom Brown batted .356 with seven homers and 17 RBIs. If Manuel can ever decide on a leadoff batter (some quietly say he has in Jimmy Rollins), it will be interesting to see how these mesh.

A healthy Howard and a confident Hamels are a pretty good one-two punch.

Manuel likes Hamels so much he made him the opening-day starter.

“Every time Hamels takes the mound you feel like he’s definitely going to give you a chance to win the game,” Manuel said. “And of course when he brings his ‘A’ game, he’s got a chance to shut you out. He keeps getting better. And I look for him to have a real big season.”

Hamels is sporting a mustache that brings back memories of Dennis Eckersley. Manuel was somewhat taken aback by the classic styling.

“It’s a little different, I think,” Manuel said. “It looks all right. I mean, whatever. If it makes him pitch better, go ahead and wear it.”

If it makes the Phillies better, Manuel might grow one. He and this era of Phillies baseball are up against it.

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NOTES: The Phils surrendered a 10-4 decision to the Toronto Blue Jays at Citizens Bank Park Saturday. The Blue Jays pounded 14 hits compared to seven for the Phillies. At least the announced crowd of 40,811 got their Phillies magnet schedules. … After taking a seat, Rollins fooled around up in the booth playing TV theme song entrance music for teammates. Rollins chose “Sanford and Son” for Howard, “Good Times” for Brown, “Gilligan’s Island” for Laynce Nix and “Love Boat” for catcher Carlos Ruiz. … The Phillies travel to Atlanta today for their regular-season opener Monday (7:10 p.m.). The Phils also play the Braves Wednesday (7:10 p.m.) and Thursday before their season opener Friday at Citizens Bank Park (4:05 p.m.).